Remorse is not repentance

“Repent,” he says early one Sunday morning. “Repent.” “The word itself means ‘to turn around.’ There can be no forgiveness without repentance, without a turning around. Remorse is not enough. Judas had remorse. But did he repent? Did he ask Jesus Christ for forgiveness and vow to change his ways? No, he went off and hung himself. Remorse is not repentance. It is just an emotion. Like anger—just an emotion. Repentance is a process. It involves asking, ‘Lord, how shall I proceed?’ and then acting. It is an act of will. It is not for the weak.”

Anonymous